Wisconsin vs Arizona Odds, Pick
| Wisconsin Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+9.5 -110 | 145.5 -105o / -115u | +320 |
| Arizona Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-9.5 -110 | 145.5 -105o / -115u | -450 |
Let's head out west to McKale Center in Tuscon, Arizona, for a terrific Big Ten/Pac-12 clash. The Arizona Wildcats will host the Wisconsin Badgers, with both teams playing terrific basketball as of late.
The Badgers are coming off back-to-back impressive wins against Marquette and Michigan State. This will be their biggest test yet that will be a great measuring stick on whether or not this team is for real or not.
The Wildcats have impressive wins at Duke and against Michigan State on a neutral court, but the rest of their schedule has been pretty pedestrian. Even though they're home, this could be a game they could face some adversity in.
Here's Wisconsin vs Arizona odds, pick.
Wisconsin Badgers
The Badgers not only have come out with victories in their last two contests, but they've been extremely impressive on the defensive side of the floor. This team will go as far as their rebounding and defense will take them.
What's also been impressive about the Badgers is their offense has been just as elite as their defense. They're 14th in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency.
This is a typical Greg Gard offense, ranking 343rd in tempo. Tyler Wahl and Steven Crowl have been big factors on the glass and scoring inside, which is a major reason why this group gets the majority of its offense from inside the 3-point line.
They're also shooting 78% from the charity stripe, which is big against an Arizona team that doesn't foul that often. I expect the Badgers to cash in on the few attempts they get during this contest.
What's worrisome about this offense is that it's going up against an excellent Wildcats defense. The Badgers struggle from outside the arc and they need to turn that around, considering this is the one area of the floor where the Cats are a bit vulnerable.
I really like the makeup of this Badgers team, but I have a hard time trusting the offense to keep it close. Their only hope is that their 3-point shooting turns a corner to keep up with this fast-paced Arizona offense.
Arizona Wildcats
I must say, the Cats have been extremely impressive to begin the year. There's a reason that they're the No. 1 team in the country, and they'll get another opportunity to bolster their resume on Saturday.
The biggest reason for their success thus far has been their ability to force turnovers, crash the offensive glass and limit opposing free throws. Tommy Lloyd's team has been extremely efficient on both ends of the floor, and the Wildcats will need to continue that trend in this game.
The reason Arizona is going to win this game is because of its rebounding edge. Although the Badgers crash the glass well, the Cats do it even better.
This group is No. 1 in the nation in opposing offensive rebounding percentage, which means they don't allow second chances on offense whatsoever. They're also fifth in second-chance opportunities on offense, so this should eliminate the edge the Badgers usually have in that department.
Led by Oumar Ballo and Keshad Johnson in the frontcourt, the Wildcats are very tough to score against inside. This frontcourt battle is going to be a war, and I could see the battle going in either direction.
The difference between these two teams lies in the backcourts. As much as I dislike Caleb Love as a shooter, he's had an excellent season thus far.
The Cats are shooting 38% from 3, which could easily be the difference in this game. But I do have some questions about if they've been fortunate in that department.
According to ShotQuality, the Cats have some negative regression coming. This could be simply due to their easy schedule outside of Duke and Michigan State, or that they're not as good of a 3-point shooting team as the stats say.
Between the battle down low and the ferocious Badgers defense, I expect this game to be a rock fight until the end. I just think the Cats will hit a few more 3s than the Badgers to ice it.
Wisconsin vs. Arizona
Betting Pick & Prediction
If you love old-school basketball, be sure to tune into this frontcourt matchup. Due to the Badgers' slow tempo and their defensive ability, I really like the under in this game.
I mentioned how the Cats have some negative regression coming their way, and I think they'll take a dip in their 3-point shooting. The Badgers will really slow this game down and force the Cats to beat them down low.
Due to both of these teams being excellent in the rebounding department, I think they'll limit a lot of easy second-chance buckets. Both defenses should show up, and I don't have a ton of faith in this Cats offense quite yet.
I feel safer taking the under than backing the Badgers in this spot, as I think it's possible that the 3-point shooting from the Cats can make this game ugly late.
Let's hope these defenses come into play and get us a nice cash.
Pick: Under 147.5 (Play to 146)
ESPN BET has officially launched launching their new sportsbook. Register with Action’s ESPN BET promo code TANBONUS for a welcome offer!
